Methods and apparatus for transmitting multimedia files in a data network

Abstract

In one implementation a method of transmitting a multimedia file over a data network is provided that involves receiving from a device in a data network a first message in a first protocol that request first data associated with the multimedia file, the first data being useable by the device to establish a streaming session that involves a transmission of the multimedia file. The first message includes identifying data of a referring site. The method also involves transmitting to the device the first data and optionally the identifying data of the referring site and then receiving from the device a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating a streaming session associated with the multimedia file. A streaming session is then created for transmitting the multimedia file to the device. In another implementation a method is provided that involves receiving in a computing device from a referring site an identifier of first data associated with a multimedia file and identifying data of the referring site, wherein the first data is useable for establishing a streaming session for downloading the multimedia file. The method further involves transmitting from the computing device a first message in a first protocol that requests the first data associated with the multimedia file and receiving in the computing device the first data. Upon receiving the first data the computing device transmits a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating the streaming session associated with the multimedia file, the second message including the first data and the identifying data of the referring site. The computing device then receives via the streaming session, all or a portion of the multimedia file. In some implementations, the first protocol and the second protocol are the same.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, from a user computing device, a first internet protocol communication comprising a request for a digital multimedia file and identifying data for one of a plurality of referring web sites; 
 in response to the request, transmitting to the user computing device: (i) first data usable to establish a streaming session with a streaming server computing device; and (ii) the identifying data of the one of the plurality of referring web sites associated with the request from the user computing device; 
 receiving a second internet protocol communication comprising the identifying data and an initiation message based on the first data; 
 after receiving the second internet protocol communication, streaming requested content to the user computing device via the streaming session with the streaming server computing device based on the first data transmitted to the user computing device; 
 associating the streaming session with the one of the plurality of referring web sites via the identifying data and by assigning a session identifier to the streaming session and storing the session identifier in a database; 
 tracking advertisements transmitted to the user computing device via the streaming session; and 
 effecting remuneration to the one of the referring web sites using data related to the tracked advertisements transmitted to the user computing device. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein storing the session identifier further comprises storing the identifying data associated with the one of the referring web sites in the database. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the establishing the streaming session further comprises transmitting a multimedia file including an advertisement and requested content to the user computing device. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the requested content is transmitted after transmitting the advertisement. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising transmitting information including a total count of tracked advertisements to the one of the referring web sites. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the transmission of the first data usable to establish the streaming session and the identifying data of the one of the referring web sites comprises sending a description file with the identifying data of the one of the referring web sites and the first data usable to establish the streaming session. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the first internet protocol communication and the second internet protocol communication are sent via at least one of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that in response to execution of the instructions cause one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a request in a first internet protocol for a digital multimedia file and identifying data of a particular one of a plurality of referring web sites from a user computing device; 
 transmitting, to the user computing device, first data usable to establish a streaming session with a streaming server computing device and identifying data of the one of the referring web sites associated with the request from the user computing device, in response to the request for the digital multimedia file; 
 receiving a request message in a second internet protocol with the identifying data of the particular one of the referring web sites; 
 after receiving the second internet protocol, streaming requested content to the user device via the streaming session with the streaming server computing device based on the first data transmitted to the user computing device; 
 associating the streaming session with the one of the referring web sites via the identifying data and by assigning a session identifier to the streaming session and storing the session identifier in a database; 
 tracking advertisements transmitted to the user computing device via the streaming session; and 
 effecting remuneration to the particular one of the referring web sites using data related to the tracked advertisements transmitted to the user computing device. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8  wherein storing the session identifier further comprises storing the identifying data of the particular one of the referring web sites associated with the session identifier in the database. 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the instructions for establishing the streaming session further comprise transmitting a multimedia file including an advertisement and requested content to the user computing device. 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the instructions further comprise transmitting the requested content after transmission of the advertisement. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the instructions further comprise transmitting information including a total count of tracked advertisements to the particular one of the referring web sites. 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 8  wherein the instructions for transmitting the first data usable to establish the streaming session and the identifying data of the particular one of the referring web sites comprises sending a description file with the identifying data of the particular one of the referring web sites and the first data usable to establish the streaming session. 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein the first internet protocol and the second internet protocol include at least one of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).